Igatpuri Vipassana Center. Full Information With Timetable And Courses

Vipassana has centers in more than 90 countries of the world. Vipassana Meditation is taught at these centers for the attainment of happiness, peace, and bliss in life. This course is free. If we talk about Igatpuri Vipassana Center (Dhamma Giri), it is one of the major centers of the world. Let’s try to know a little about this center.

Igatpuri Vipassana Meditation Centre

Igatpuri Vipassana Meditation center is known as Dhamma Giri. It is about 140 Km away from Mumbai. It takes about 3 hours to reach Igatpuri Vipassana Center from Mumbai by road. It takes about 2 hours to reach Igatpuri from Mumbai by train. The Igatpuri Vipassana Meditation Center (Dhamma Giri) can be reached by auto rickshaw from Igatpuri railway station in 15 minutes. Getting here by train is the easiest way.

In this article, we will get to know about Vipassana and Igatpuri Vipassana Center (Dhamma Giri) in detail along with a small glimpse of this center.

Trains From Mumbai To Igatpuri Vipassana Center

Train From	Train Name	Time In Mumbai	Time At Igatpuri
CSMT	Mahanagri Express	00:10	03:00
Tilak Nagar	LTT MUV Express	00:35	03:13
CSMT	CSTM BSL Passanger	05:25	09:35
CSMT	Gitanjali Express	06:00	08:40
Tilak Nagr	LTT Manmad Express	14:55	17:15
CSMT	Nandigram Express	16:35	19:05
Tilak Nagar	LTT Shalimar Express	22:00	00:30
Tilak Nagar	Darbhanga Express	12:15	14:40
Tilak Nagar	Kamayani Express	12:40	15:05

View Of Igatpuri Vipassana Center

Dhamma Giri is a very beautiful place surrounded by mountains. The beauty around it fascinates. Let us take a small tour of this center:

Myanmar Gate

As soon as we reach Dhamma Giri, we are shocked for a while after seeing the magnificence and beauty of its grand entrance (Myanmar Gate). This huge gate shows the grandeur of the Vipassana along with it.

Visitor’s Hall

It is a grand hall decorated with paintings inspired by the life of Lord Buddha. Before the start of the course, the students are collected in this hall and are informed about the Vipassana and the schedule of this course.
There is also a video hall in the visitor’s hall, in which a documentary on Vipassana goes on.

Ashok Stambh

A large Ashoka Stambh is seen in an open space outside the visitor’s hall. We feel proud of Indian craftsmanship by seeing this magnificent Ashoka Stambh.

Buddha Park

This is a very special place. At a short distance from the Visitor’s Hall is the Buddha Park. This place is very beautiful. The park depicts stories related to the life of Lord Buddha.

5 Precepts At Igatpuri Vipassana Center

There are 5 precepts for all the students who come into the course. These 5 precepts are mandatory not only at Igatpuri Vipassana Meditation Center (Dhamma Giri) but also at all the centers of Vipassana in the world. The 5 precepts are as follows:

Abstain From

1. Killing
2. Stealing
3. Sexual Activities
4. Telling Lie
5. Intoxicant

Rules At Igatpuri Vipassana Center

As we know, Vipassana is a 10-day residential meditation course. This course is free. But the rules of this course are very strict. Such as:

•  Noble Silence: During the entire course (10 days), we have to follow the Noble Silence. Talking to someone (verbally or by gestures) is strictly prohibited. If we have any questions related to meditation, we can ask the teacher. If there is any matter related to the system, then we can talk important things to the Dhamma Sevaks.Students are not allowed to talk among themselves.
• No Eye Contact: Throughout the course, we are not even allowed to see one another.
• No Intoxicants: It is not allowed to take any kind of intoxication (alcohol, cigarette, tobacco, etc.).
• Cloths: Clothing should be simple. Wearing short clothes is prohibited.
• No Exercise: It is not allowed to do any kind of yoga or exercise.
• No Communication: Mobile and laptops are deposited before the course starts and are returned to the students after the completion of the course.
• Rituals, any other kind of Other Meditation, and Chanting are not allowed.
• Reading & Writing are prohibited.

Daily Routine At Igatpuri Vipassana Center ( Dhamma Giri )

Learning Vipassana is not easy at all. We have to dedicate ourselves completely. Meditation has to be done with great dedication and effort.
The rules and timetables of the course are very strict. The same routine has to be strictly followed throughout the course. The routine is as :

4:00 am	Wake- Up Bell
4:30 To 6:30 am	Meditation In Hall
6:30 To 8:00 am	Breakfast
8:00 To 9:00 am	Group Meditation In Hall
9:00 To 11:00 am	Meditation In Hall or Room
11:00 To 12:00 noon	Lunch
12:00 To 1:00 pm	Rest & Question Answer Session With Teacher
1:00 To 2:30 pm	Meditation In Hall or Room
2:30 To 3:30 pm	Group Meditation In Hall
3:30 To 5:00 pm	Meditation In Hall or Room
5:00 To 6:00 pm	Tea Break
6:00 To 7:00 pm	Group Meditation In Hall
7:00 To 8:15 pm	Vipassana Discourse By S.N.Goinka
8:15 To 9:00 pm	Group Meditation In Hall
9:00 To 9:30 pm	Question Answer Session
9:30 pm	Retire To Your Room

Note: Dinner is not available. One of the important rules of learning Vipassana is that one-fourth of our stomach should be empty. Only then can Vipassana be easily learned.
But if you are on medication and dinner is compulsory for you, then you can meet the teacher and get permission for dinner.

Procedures After Reaching Igatpuri Vipassana Center 

We have to reach Igatpuri Vipassana Center a day before the course starts. After reaching there, the following processes take place:

1. The form has to be filled. In this form, we have to give our personal information and fill in the address.
2. If we want a laundry facility, then a separate form has to be filled and money has to be deposited.
3. Our money, mobiles, and laptops are deposited.
4. We are allocated room to keep our luggage and rest. We have to use the same room during the entire course.
5. By 5 p.m., all the formalities are over.
6. In the evening there is a meeting in which new and old meditators are addressed. In this gathering, brief information about Vipassana is given. Its history and science are told. The rules of the Vipassana center  are stated. Information about the routine is given.
7. We are taken to the meditation hall. We are told our seats in the hall. The seats which are given once, during the whole course, we have to sit in the same seat and meditate.
8. Our 10 days course begins.

How To Apply For The Course

To apply for the course, we have to fill the form on the official website of Vipassana. After a few days, we are first informed by email and then by phone. We have to reach there with complete preparation for 10 day residential course. This course starts with the practice of Anapana which lasts for three and a half days. The practice of Vipassana begins on the fourth day. The address of the Meditation Center and the way to reach it are all communicated to us through mail and phone in advance.

Apply For The Course

Alternative To Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana is priceless. It cannot be compared with any other meditation. But it is also true that learning Vipassana is not easy. It requires hard work, discipline, and patience to learn it. It is impossible to learn it while staying at home or listening. Even after joining the 10 days program, it can be learned only after facing many problems.

I have been practicing Vipassana for almost 8 years. I have inspired many people to learn and practice Vipassana. I get mails from many people that it is not possible for them to take out 10 days of life to learn Vipassana. Knowing about the difficulties faced while learning Vipassana, people get nervous and start thinking about alternatives of Vipassana.

I get many emails in which people ask about the best alternative to Vipassana. Although there is no alternative to Vipassana, but if you desire is to learn new dimensions of meditation and spiritual world, then I recommend people to learn and practice Mindful Meditation.

Mindful Meditation is also like a course but it does not require strict rules and discipline to learn. You can learn this while staying at home. Its benefits are also innumerable.

Although you can learn Mindful Meditation from anywhere, it is not free like Vipassana. There is a fee for this course. I learned it before Vipassana and practiced it for a year. The results were positive.

Every meditation has a goal. The goal of Vipassana is to destroy the diseases of the mind hidden in the depths of our subconscious mind. Vipassana works very deeply, so it takes time.

On the other hand, the goal of Mindful Meditation is to focus our mind completely on the present and to experience what is happening in the present moment with full concentration. Living in the present moment enables us to see even those truths that no one knows about.

If you are also looking for an alternative to Vipassana, then I recommend you to learn mindful meditation based on my experience. This is the best alternative to Vipassana. You can learn more about it by clicking the link below. And if the information sounds good, you can enroll in Mindful Meditation.

Apply For Mindful Meditation

Conclusion

Igatpuri Vipassana Center ( Dhamma Giri ) is one of the major centers in the world. The enjoyment of meditation becomes two-fold in its calm, beautiful and enchanting environment. The rules and routines of this center are very strict. We have to follow those rules and routines strictly. In order to learn Vipassana, we must have a sense of complete dedication. Only then can we learn it and take advantage of it. Apart from 10 Day Courses, some other courses of Vipassana are also conducted here.

We tried to provide as much information as possible through this article about Igatpuri Vipassana Center. We hope that you have increased your knowledge by reading this article.

Other Famous Vipassana Meditation Centers In India:

• Jaipur Vipassana Center (Dhamma Thali)
• Delhi Vipassana Center (Dhamma Sota)
• Mumbai Vipassana Center (Dhamma Pattana)
• Bangalore Vipassana Center (Dhamma Paphulla)
• Kolhapur Vipassana Center (Dhammalaya)
• Pune Vipassana Center (Dhamma Punna)

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